Opel Calibra 2.5 V6 Cliff Motorsport Edition

[Cliff]

Update date: 2016-02-07

Thought it was about time I started a projects thread for Cliff... have been collecting the pics for a while

I bought myself a Calibra some 20 years after owning one as a whipper-snapper. Well actually I bought two since a donor car came with the sale.

Here's the good car, will add a picture of "skrotis" (scrapper?!? in English) later but this is "Cliff".



Cliff is in pretty good nick but needs a new timing belt, the cam covers are doing the usual on this engine and filling the spark plug wells with oil and well it could do with some overall TLC.

Thought I'd try to capture the work on this thread for anyone who might be interested. This afternoon was basically some dismantling and prep.

Odometer to begin:



Engine cover removed:



Intake and throttle body removed:



Leads removed, oil sucked out of plug wells, plugs removed and finally covers off and sealant cleaned up:



After all the distraction it felt like time to do something that was heading in the right direction so I cleaned and painted the intake and the new alloy Vectra B covers. Primer today:



Well, that's it for today, will be back when more progress is made but unlike some of you Jedi on here, progress will be a bit slower.... But bare with me!

[Cliff]

Update date: 2016-02-08

Tonight's handy work, colour on the covers and manifold, just need top coating now:



And between coats I managed to clean the crankcase breather (no pics, not a lot to see!) and strip and clean the throttle body assembly. Before:



After:

[Cliff]

Update date: 2016-02-22

Some goodies have landed so time to start putting things back together



Finally the new leads set arrives and Cliff is back together, running sweet as a nut and no leaks! Still not sure if i like the semi-naked look without the cover - might have to think about trying to modify it... Later.

[Cliff]

Update date: 2016-04-16

And today, finally got to spend some more time on her. Some more minor adjustments, still waiting to have the funds to switch timing belt and so on but get good to actually drive her and do some minor tweaks anyhow!

New number plate lighting courtesy of shiny LEDs:





And finally painted and fitted the Vectra B handles, delocked!





Cliff emblems painted up with my daughter's craft set... And cills removed, cleaned, primed and painted with black plastic paint - get rid of the nastiness of age!

[Cliff]

Update date: 2016-05-22

So finally, the job I have been putting off - changing the timing belt.



Well, as predicted, there was tons of space - don't know what I was worrying about







Let the fun begin he thought - but it was one challenge after another - water pump pulley bolts undone but pulley doesn't move. Finally get pulley to move and then realise it won't come off since the engine is too damn close to the inner wing. Much jacking up later, got an axle stand under the front engine support, removed the bolts holding the support to the body then lowered the body back down to bring the water pump pulley up high enough. Then comes the PAS pump whose pulley was pressed on - let's take it off he thought but not a chance, too close to the inner wing to get the pulley off... Hmm dejavu?

Managed to let the pump bolts off to allow the pump to move forward and got the timing cover off...



Got the locking kit on and removed the belt





Then took off the pulleys, looks like bits of old belt stuck to the lower tensioner suggesting it's maybe never been changed



Wrestled the new tensioner and guides on and then the belt. Setup the timing, 2 rotations - slightly off on bank 1 & 2 - retimed and then did 8 more rotations checking the timing at every other one - spot on



Rebuilt the engine and then clenched the buttocks in anticipation of first start - need not have worried though, fired up immediately and purring again - success!

[Cliff]

Update date: 2016-06-15

Tonight I had a rare and unexpected evening to myself so off the the Cliff cave I went.



Time for some fresh 10w40 oil, oil filter, fuel filter, pollen filter - easier breathing all around:





I'm sure this wasn't blocking flow at all....especially if the outside is anything to go by:



New silicone coolant hoses all around will be next and some nice coolant instead of the slightly weird looking water currently circulating...

[Cliff]

Update date: 2016-07-03

The coolant was the last service item left - almost clear there was some antifreeze in it but negligible. A drop, flush and refill was the order of the day but that wasn't enough in itself! So more mods today including a nice cleaned (by me) coolant header tank swap, new Roose coolant and induction hoses throughout and the K&N cold air induction kit that I won on EBay (second hand, couple of months old and a real bargain!).

The hoses were the biggest pain with the engine bay and clearances being just huge* and the most fun* part was changing the connections to the heater matrix which are up in the depths of hell on the firewall behind the block...

Done now! Waiting for new wheels to arrive and then I'll fit them and swap out the mud flaps for some genuine ones.

[Cliff]

Update date: 2017-03-25

It's been a while...but

Did battle with Cliff today. When I bought him I didn't notice but the rad was leaking due to a prior front end. Poor sucky repair job on the cheap no doubt...

After scouring breakers and a failed shipment from the UK (damaged in the post) I finally managed to get a replacement rocking horse poop v6 Calibra Rad with secondaries for the pump.

This weekend it was time to swap it, bumper and steel bracket off:







To get at the front connections that hook up the secondary pump. Much skin loss later, a wrestle or ten and a lot of choice words and the new (old) one is fitted and Cliff no longer dribbles at temperature:



Even managed to correctly refit the cables on the back of the bracket so they don't rub against the fan, where the last careful "mechanic" left them

I reckon the intention for swapping the rad is that you'll take either the engine out or remove the slam panel... bit of a squeeze.

Now officially cream crackered and going for rest to recover and try to delete all memories of this "fun" day.

[Cliff]

Update date: 2017-04-16

Had some time down at the Cliff cave again today so I cracked on with a few jobs.



First up was to brighten up the exhaust. My daughter has been complaining for a while that the standard steel system looks a mess and while I agree, and I'd like a stainless complete system, money doesn't permit right now. So a quick eBay hunt revealed this guy - now fitted!

Before:


After:


Next up was some troubleshooting - for a while I had horrible lag issues on acceleration - to cut a long story short, almost by accident I figured out it was the TC system - when enabled, lag, when disabled, no lag.

Suspect was the ABS sensor but apparently that wasn't the only problem...

Split ABS ring on drivers side:


Oddly worn and unlikely to be working properly any longer ABS sensors (both sides same but passenger side much worse):


And to boot, broken holder on the passenger side. I'll order some new parts later today all round - for a future update...

Then finally more on improving looks - worn drivers side bolster - has been bugging me since I bought the car... so I ordered a leather repair kit and have to say I'm well impressed with the results:

Before:


After:


Final job was to repair the vinyl trim on the door card, in the sun it had started lifting at the top near the glass. Bit of heat gun action to stretch it then bonded back in place. No pics on this one....my bad.

All small things but had a good afternoon and Cliffs looking better for the effort!

[craigyboy]

Keep up the good work mate,the engine bay is
looking very smart.

[cal16v]

Good work, especially on the seat repair.

[Cliff]

Yesterday I replaced the ABS ring on the drivers side hub, the old one had split due to rust causing intermittent traction control and ABS faults.

Today was more superficial improvements.

Cliff edition, amongst other things, came with a Bose speaker system comprising an amplifier, (allegedly) upgraded speakers and a in-spare-wheel subwoofer.



The sub was pathetic, when stationary you'd get something from it but not much. Non existent when moving with road and exhaust noise.

I'd been fancying an upgrade for a while but kept putting things off. Finally I committed and bought a Pioneer TS-WX610A in wheel 200w active subwoofer with remote control.

Now fitted! Not many pictures, in fact only the end result but you can imagine how much of the car has been apart today to get this fitted - needed 12v from the battery, aux from the back of the radio, remote control routing through to somewhere in the front - I chose centre console.





I have to say I am super impressed with the sound quality and the difference is huge - no more high frequency only...!

Will be putting him back on the road 1st June once I've stopped travelling so much and can make use of him!

[Cliff]

It’s been a long while… sorry about that. Lots been going on.

So, a catchup on the last 3 years …gulp… at least with the records I have.

August 2018 - 147737KM - fitted chrome damped struts to the bonnet



August 2019 - 148818KM - vectra B armrest fitted




October 2019 - 148895KM - oil and filter change before winter sleep time



August 2021 - 148924KM - 2 years off the road, MOT expired… pandemic slowing up I decide to put Cliff back on the road. Oil change (despite only 29km since the last one it has been two years), extensive check over, replaced the flexible fuel lines which were weeping, full besiktning/MOT - passed first time!! Tomorrow is the AC trinary switch which is weeping and a re-gas.





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[Cliff]

And just when I thought it was safe to go back on the roads… a few trips out - some warmer days and some cooler - running around 100degC - I know, that’s “ok” but it’s not normal based on experience.

Seemed to be getting worse - especially since fixing the AC. Decided to investigate and noticed rad not fully heating up.

One airlock removed and a water pump replaced and seems a mile better. I love my v6 but hate how little space there is to work on this end… what a pain in the.. skin missing as always.









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